Detachable spherical loudspeaker enclosure



March 27, 1962 H. wlLBER 3,026,956

DETACHABLE SPHERICAL LOUDSPEAKER ENcLosURE Filed oct. 1v, 1957 INVENTOR. HOWARD L .WILBER ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,026,956 DETACHABLE SPHERICAL LUDSPEAKER ENCLOSURE Howard L. Wilber, 4465 36th St., San Diego, Calif. Filed Oct. 17, 1957, Ser. No, 690,790 3 Claims. (Cl. 181-31) This invention relates to spherical loudspeaker enclosures and more particularly to such enclosures wherein access to the speaker may be had Vwith a minimum of time and inconvenience.

Spherical speaker enclosuresA heretofore have `been formed wherein the speaker was intended to be more or less permanently installed and accessibility to the speaker was not considered in their design. Consequently the enclos-ure was sometimes damaged in the removal of a speaker for repair or exchange and, in any event, the operation was often time consuming and required special tools or equipment. y l

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for an improved spherical loudspeaker enclosure.

Another object is the provision of a novel speaker enclosure comprising a pair of hemispherical shells having at least one speaker mounted therein and joined together for quick and easy disassembly.

Another object is the provision of a pair of hemispherical shells whose adjoining edges t into a joining member and wherein internal bracket structure is provided for securing the shells together.

Still another object is the provision yof a bracket structure for securing a pair of hemispherical shells together in such manner that the shells may be readily detached.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds and wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the enclosure with parts broken away to better show the construciton thereof,

FIGURE 2 is a partial view showing how the speaker, protective grill and mounting bracket are attached to one of the hemispheres,

iFIGURE 3 is a partial view showing how the mounting bracket is attached to the other hemisphere, and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the speaker protective grill.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numbers designate like parts throughout the several views there is shown in FIGURE l two hemispherical outer shells 11, 12 whose adjoining edges are tted into recesses of joining member 13. This member is of I or H cross-sectional configuration and forms a decorative ornamentation about the equator of the sphere. The ends 14, 16 of the member do not quite meet after encircling the sphere but are slightly spaced to permit passage of the speaker electrical connections 17 therethrough. The interior surfaces of the shells are lined with a sound dampening material 18 such as spun-fibrous-glass bats, for example, bonded to the shells with a polyester resin adhesive.

ln each of the hemispheres is an opening 20, 40 suitably covered with a protective grill 19 and grill cloth 21. Behind one opening is mounted a speaker 22 and the ends of mounting bracket 23. A cross-piece 24 is fastened across the inner face of the other opening 40 to support a bolt 26. The center flat apex portion 27 of bracket 23 has a retaining nut 28 aflixed thereto and is adapted to receive the threaded end of bolt 26. The bolt may be tightened, thereby securing the two shells together, by simply inserting a screwdriver through a small hole 30 in the protective grill to engage the head 2.9.

In FIGURE 2 the mounting of the speaker and bracket is shown in greater detail. Here the inner edge 31 of shell 3,026,956 Patented Mar'. i27,y 1962 ICC 2 11 defining the speaker opening is turned inwardly to accommodate the iillet material 32 placed around the opening on the inner surface of the shell. A decorative bead 33 with an attaching web is secured within the opening and the grill cloth 21 is inserted over the opening from within. The protective grill 19 is then fitted into place from behind and gasket 34 is placed in position. The mounting holes of the speaker `22 are then aligned with the mounting holes, followed by the apertured ends of legs 35 of the mounting bracket 23. This assembly is secured by the insertion from the outside of bolts 36 upon which nuts 37 are tightened-,

FIGURE 3 illustrates how the other shell 12 is fastened, after the adjoining edges of both shells have been inserted into the joining member 13. Here the opening, protective grill and grill cloth are similar to those found in the first shell and cross-piece 24 has been mounted across the back of the opening instead of the mounting bracket and speaker. A small hole is made inthe grill cloth, as earlier explained, to permit the insertion of a screwdriver to turn the retaining bolt Z6. A hole in cross-piece 24 permits the bolt to be inserted and to pass through the hole in the center portion 7.7 of the mounting bracket 23. The retaining nut '28 is secured to the mounting bracket 23 to retain its position until the bolt has been inserted.

FIGURE 4 shows a derby hat configuration of a protective grill made from commercially available wire hardware cloth. The dome involves a spherical radius of stretching, the head band portion involves shrinking and the brim involves stretching again. Hardware cloth consists of crossed soldered Wires and has sufficient open areas in its weave that it can provide expansion and absorb shrinking without wrinkling and breaking. This has the advantage over perforated sheets or expanded metal in that it is easier to fabricate and has more open space to permit passage of sound waves without obstruction. When speakers and openings used are smaller relative to the overall size of the sphere, less of the spherical shape is truncated, allowing the use of a straight grill instead of the derby hat configuration.

This speaker enclosure is adapted to rest in a cradle as shown in my co-pending design application D. 43,822 tiled November 19, 1956, now Design Patent No. 186,892. The tonal characteristics may be varied by rotating the speaker face in relation to the listener. The optimum location for bass boost is with the speaker facing into the triangular apex formed at the corner of a room. The utilization of identical hemispherical configurations, including the covered openings, lends itself to favorable mass production methods. It has the further advantage in that the rear pressure wave from the speaker can escape and no standing waves develop. The rearward passage of Waves through the rear opening enhances the tonal quality of high fidelity music reproduction.

It will be understood that other modiiications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A spherical loudspeaker enclosure comprising a pair of hemispherical shells, at least one of said shells having an opening therein, a speaker mounted with said shell and over said opening, said speaker opening being covered with a grill cloth and reinforcing member, a mounting bracket having a pair of legs straddling said speaker, attaching means connecting said speaker, grill cloth, reinforcing member and said legs to said shell on opposite sides of said opening and said speaker, a center apex integrally connecting said legs together, the other of said shells having an opening therein, and engageable means for releasably engaging said apex and connecting said apex to said other of said shells to maintain said shells in connected relation to present a spherical appearance, said spaanse v opening insaidzother of :saids'hells being of the same size as ai, f1! ,StrmntiQnQd .Qlleningnd covered `Withra vsecondA grill cloth and reinforcing mernber, each of said openings truncating said shells in planes parallel to the edgesof said hemispherical shells. v l 7' 2,5 A sphericalfloudspeaker enclosure(` as 12in; claim;.1, said` reinforcing member comprisinghardware clthfhaying sucient open areas to ypermit expansionl and shrinlage' in formation of a-desiredvcongnrationhaving `abrupt sprl face changes without wrinkling orbreaking.

of sai-d shells; the hat'ban'd portion is cornprerssed angular-1y*y l5 inwardly from said center `section andfthe brim. area -is stretched outwardly. from said'band portion formounting on 'the'inner surface of 'saidfshelL References Cited in the le of this patent UNITEDV STATES PATENTS Rigali Dec. 1,. Carlisle et` al. Dec. 22, Sgheidorf Dec- 29, Bilhuber v June 2,1, Volk ANov.y 29,. Duplex De@ 3, Bar-lirnzweiger.-- 7 Apr. 8, Kamrath June 30, Rettinger July 27, Unke Feb. 13,V Bonn Apr. 14,

FOREIGN PATENTSv Australia Dec. 23,"

Great lBritain g May 9, 

